State Rep. Rick Glazier stood before his colleagues on the House floor, telling all that the issue before them was about more than one legislator.

The issue, he said, was about people's faith in their government, and the integrity of the institutions of government.

"What's the real standard of ethics in the House of Representatives? You will make that determination based on how you vote on this amendment," the Cumberland County Democrat said.

The measure that he spoke of was not the resolution to expel Thomas Wright, a New Hanover County Democrat accused of pocketing more than $180,000 in campaign donations and charitable contributions. It was an amendment to censure rather than expel Wright.

The amendment was

But when presented with the choice, 11 House Democrats other than Wright voted for censure -- essentially an on-paper, public reprimand -- instead of expulsion.

The 11 pushing the green button for censure: Reps. Alma Adams of Guilford County, Larry Bell of Sampson County, Beverly Earle of Mecklenburg County, Larry Hall of Durham County, Maggie Jeffus of Guilford County, Earl Jones of Guilford County, Mary McAllister of Cumberland County, Mickey Michaux of Durham, Annie Mobley of Hertford County, Drew Saunders of Mecklenburg County and Larry Womble of Forsyth County.

Using Glazier's stance, these 11 apparently are perfectly at ease with an ethical bar in which pocketing campaign donations for seven years (a determination already reached by the state Board of Elections) shouldn't disqualify someone from holding public office. No reason to get in a dither and do something rash.

Following Wright's expulsion, former Democratic campaign consultant Joe Sinsheimer chimed in with a statement that the action was "a major step forward in changing the sordid institutional culture that dominated the House during the Jim Black era."

Sinsheimer's complaint to the Board of Elections led investigators to uncover Wright's propensity to do things like depositing campaign checks in personal accounts.

But Sinsheimer properly noted that the House action provides evidence that the culture is only changing, not that it has changed completely.

As long as some legislators believe their chief duty lies in protecting one another, and not the voters that put them into office, that culture won't have changed to the degree that it should.

"We have a duty to protect this House. I think that's what we did," Hackney said.

Government also has a duty to protect the public from those profiting under the guise of public service. That duty far outweighs the rights, perceived or real, of the elected.

Scott Mooneyham writes for Capitol Press Association. Contact him at smooneyh@ncinsider.com.